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curly hair styling

Does this sound familiar? You watched ALL the Youtube demos, read ALL the blogs, and followed ALL the instructions, but your Wash & Go is still a fail? The good news is that it’s not you, it’s your product. Despite the glut of ‘curl friendly’ products on the market, finding the ones that work for you can be a very time consuming and expensive process. Your hair, like you, is unique. Assuming that all curly hair is the same or even that all ‘4C’ hair is the same is about as accurate as saying that all hair is the same. Clearly, it’s just not true. Just because your favorite Youtuber has hair that looks like yours doesn’t mean that her holy grail products will work for you.

But don’t get discouraged by failure. Just because you haven’t yet mastered the Wash & Go of your dreams, doesn’t mean it’s out of reach. You just need products that actually fit your hair type. Any Natural, regardless of curl pattern, can rock a Wash & Go. And, believe it or not, finding your perfect match is more a matter of science than luck. Following this simple method, you can hone in on your core products AND achieve the curls of your dreams without losing your mind or busting your budget.

Find your Perfect Moisturizer
While a good gel or sealant may be a useful tool in your wash-and-go routine, the key to popping the curl is honing in on the right moisturizer. As in most things, it’s best to work methodically, not impulsively. Buying a product off the shelf without doing your research is like trying to find your dream house by throwing a dart at the map. You might get lucky, but the odds are against you. If you can first target your neighborhood, your chances of success improve exponentially. So what type of moisture ‘neighborhood’ should you live in? Normal to oily hair needs a lightly moisturizing definer, such as Sweet Poof or Mane Tame, that relies on proteins to rather than a full fledged moisturizer. Normal to dry hair can vary in compatibility and may prefer a highly humectant, water-based moisturizer, like Oasis Moisture Gel, or crave a creamy combination of oil and water, such as Everyday Leave-in. Dry, thick hair inevitably needs a rich and possibly layered combination of butters, oils and water. You’ll know when you see the right fit. Your curl shape will be consistent, your hair will feel silky and smooth, and your individual curls will separate easily into defined clusters.

Create a Curl Cast
Now that your curl is defined and moisturized, lock in that shape and seal out frizz with a compatible defining product. We use Hold Up Defining Serum for most of our clients, from high to low porosity, when we need a very strong hold. Just Gel Styling Concentrate is preferable for those that prefer a softer feel or have more flake-prone hair. Always apply the gel or serum of your choice immediately after the moisturizer, keeping hair wet while you work. While moisturizer can be raked through the hair in 1″ to 4″ sections, we recommend ‘ribboning’ the defining product by smoothing it along each individual curl family. (We’ve demonstrated this technique in a number of videos, but you can check it out here for a quick overview). Coarse, resistant hair types that tend to feel hard even without a gel should skip this step and move on to Step 3 as a film forming gel will provide limited benefit while making the hair feel even harder and more brittle.

Seal It In
For most, this step is an optional finishing step as defining products can usually sufficiently seal the cuticle for Wash & Go’s that will naturally expire in a week or less. On the other hand, it may be essential if your hair is incompatible with gels and/or has a coarser texture. Our preferred sealant for very thick hair is Emollience, which is sticky enough to group and hold coarse hairs in a unified curl, providing a flexible cast, moisture, and shine in one step. For finer hair types, this step can either be skipped altogether or performed with a lighter oil, such as Twist Mist or Hair Bling.

And the good news is, if you do it right, you shouldn’t need to continually re-moisturize your hair throughout the week. When you have products that fit, they do the job on Wash Day and keep your curls moisturized, shiny and defined until the next one rolls around!

With the advent of Fall, pumpkins are all around us. But don’t let it’s ubiquitous holiday presence fool you – the humble pumpkin is actually a health and beauty powerhouse! Numerous studies have shown that Pumpkin Seed Oil, taken internally, can help to reverse the effects of hereditary hair loss by blocking the conversion of testosterone into harmful DHT. It’s also a rich source of zinc, which thickens hair and speeds the growth of hair. Vitamin A, E and K and four fatty acids, round out the nutritional benefits of this botanical beauty.

Applying Pumpkin Seed Oil topically to the hair and skin carries many of the same benefits conferred by ingesting the oil. As outlined in this Harper’s Bazaar article, the oil’s antioxidant and protective properties help to shield and moisturize the hair, adding sheen, fighting frizz, and nourishing the follicles. Many of these activities can be linked to the high levels of phytosterols found in Pumpkin Seed Oil. These organic, plant-based compounds are especially effective at penetrating the skin and hair, working from the inside-out to increase softness and decreasing electro-static charges. Using a moisturizer, like Everyday Leave-in Detangling Conditioner, that contains Pumpkin Seed Oil, helps to condition and nourish the hair over time while imparting immediate improvements in luster and manageability. This multi-purpose product can be used on wet or dry hair to tame frizzies and enhance natural waves and curls.

Celebrate the season by making pumpkin seed oil an essential part of your cold-weather hair regimen!